Chiefs boys get a bit fruity at Frobishers

Members of the Exeter Chiefs’ squad put their business brains to the test recently when they visited local drinks manufacturer Frobishers.

The players were challenged to create a new juice drink and come up with a marketing strategy to present in a ‘Dragons Den’ style pitch to senior members of the Frobishers team.

The day was part of the RPA’s (Rugby Players’ Association) Player Development Programme which aims to individually assist players in their personal and professional development, helping them to identify a second career and providing them with skills for a smooth transition into life after rugby.

Frobishers was founded in 1992 and sets out to provide their customers with the finest natural fruit drinks in the world. They are committed to making sure that 100% of the juices used in their drinks are from the best fruits and sourced from the most dedicated farmers across the globe.

The first order of the day was to split the group into three teams, with Kai Horstmann, Haydn Thomas and James Hanks selected as team captains. It was decided that the tried and trusted ‘playground selection method’ would be used to determine the teams and each captain set about selecting the individuals he felt would deliver the goods.

The main aim of the day was to encourage the players to think about where a drink comes from, how it’s produced, who it is sold to and how the product would be sold. Haydn Thomas, RPA Player Representative for Exeter Chiefs, believed the day to be a great benefit to the team: “It’s been a really enjoyable experience. The way the day has been structured is a lot like the Apprentice, its great being in competition against the other lads. Having the opportunity to gain an insight into something other than rugby has been really beneficial and it’s great to support one of the clubs main sponsors.